The Organized Labour in the Maritime industry has issued a 14-day strike notice to the Federal Government over the refusal of the International Oil Companies, IOCs, to obey Marine Notice 106 and extant Stevedoring regulations.
The two weeks strike notice which takes effect from Monday, March 6, was issued to the Minister of Transportation, Muazu Sambo and his Labour and Employment counterpart, Sen Chris Ngige when the President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, paid a working visit to the National Secretariat of MWUN, Lagos.
The strike notice followed the directive by the NLC President after the President-General of MWUN, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, had presented the Union’s challenges before the NLC national leadership team.
Kukuruku News gathered that Under the aegis of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, the organized labour listed it’s grievances to include refusal to pay aged seafarers monthly pensions in spite of court ruling, refusal to restore registered onboard ship gangway security and Tally men (pooling system) and absence of Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA, in shipping sub-sector.
Other grievances mentioned by the MWUN, are the refusal to issue Seafarers’ identity documents (SID) to seafarers, non-dredging of Calabar, Warri and Port Harcourt ports and the confusion over expired contract of terminal operators.
In the report reaching us, Ajaero who directed the MWUN to issue a two-week ultimatum to the Ministry of Transportation and that of Labour and Employment, said this is to restore the presence of on-board ship gangway men and tally Clerks, noting that it is statutory in port operations.
He also asked that MWUN, as it is statutory in port operations, should demand who should be in charge of regulating terminal operators and Shipping Companies in order to avoid double taxation.
“As NLC President I don’t have any sympathy for anybody that is toying with the lives of workers. Let’s shut down the seaport so that the ministries concerned will do their work.
“I don’t see why you should do a letter to the Minister of Transportation since August 4, 2021, on the need to pay aged seafarers’ pension and they are yet to do so despite a court ruling.
“If it is possible to give them 14 days ultimatum from Monday, March 6th, 2023, so that they can act fast on the matter because nobody should toy with the issue of workers, then do so.
“The NLC is ready to give you solidarity action until they obey the agreement.
“Every illegal action requires an illegal reaction. They have acted illegally and they don’t expect somebody to react legally with them. What the law requires is for you to give them adequate notice which you have done.”
President-General of MWUN, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, mentioned other challenges confronting the maritime workers to include lost of 13,000 jobs during the port concession of 2006, and multiple regulatory agencies.
“On this note, we are worried and NPA workers are equally worried about what should be their fate.
Hence, “the MWUN had earlier forwarded a letter dated 5th August 2021 to the Minister of Transportation to demand the restoration of the Pool system for registered on board gangway security men and tally men. He said.
